Click here for the Community Letter with Dozens of Community Organizations and and Leaders who have signed in solidarity with immigrant workers who participated in the Day Without an Immigrant Actions

Yesterday, hundreds of thousands of immigrant workers nationwide participated in a powerful Day Without Immigrants action, responding to the attacks on immigrant communities by the Trump administration. As part of this action, hundreds of thousands of workers went on strike demanding workplaces and communities free of discrimination based on national origin and religious beliefs. Federal labor law under the National Labor Relations Act protects workers’ rights to participate in such a strike. CTUL is committed to defending the rights of all workers as they fight for better workplaces and communities, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect and not met with discrimination of any kind.

Most employers have respected and supported the rights of workers as they participated in yesterday’s strike and were welcomed back to work today. We have received a handful of complaints from workers who have been threatened with retaliation by the employers for participating in the actions. So far, once we have reached out to these employers together with the workers, the majority have respected workers’ rights and have welcomed the workers back to work. However, there are a couple of employers who are currently choosing not to respect the rights of workers. We are working closely with these workers and employers to try and resolve the threats of retaliation.

We will continue to monitor cases that we are made aware of to support workers in defending their rights. We are very thankful for all community members, allies, businesses, and elected officials who are standing in solidarity with the immigrant community by signing a community letter of support.

Most importantly, the continued courage and resilience of the immigrant community is proof that we will not only survive, but continue to stand together and build the resistance needed to make our world a better place. We are proud and honored to stand with all immigrants in the struggle for peace and justice for us all.

When we fight, we win!

Feb. 15, 2017. In the face of overwhelming odds, low-wage worker leaders with CTUL are standing up and winning real change.

On Monday CTUL fast food worker members protested outside of Hardees in St. Paul as part of a nationwide fast food worker-led action to say No to Andrew Puzder (CEO of Hardees) for U.S. Department of Labor Secretary. This morning Puzder’s nomination was withdrawn.

One year ago, when asked about wage theft Governor Dayton stated: “It’s the first I’ve heard of that concern…I’d want to talk to Commissioner Ken Peterson (Department of Labor and Industry) to see what his take on it is.” This afternoon, after a series of meetings with CTUL members to learn about the issue over the past few weeks, Lt. Governor Tina Smith stood with State Representatives to introduce a bill aimed at cracking down on wage theft.

This is just the beginning. On March 12, 2017 CTUL will launch our Raise Worker Voice Campaign, with the goal of taking our organizing efforts to scale and winning a voice with tens of thousands of workers across Minnesota.

CTUL Job Openings

Alright y’all – we know that times are tough right now, but every grassroots organization knows that with every challenge comes opportunities; and the bigger the challenge, the bigger the opportunity. Join a team of worker leaders and organizers at CTUL as we grow the movement to not just resist oppression, but to build and win alternatives:

Donor Organizer: CTUL is seeking applications for a full-time position as a Donor Organizer. This position will lead the work of organizing individual donors, and will work with a team on the Raise Workers’ Voices Campaign to raise approximately $1.5 million in two years to take CTUL’s work to the next level. Click here for more information.

Lead Organizer in the Fight for $15: CTUL seeks to hire for a Lead Organizer in the Fight for $15 national campaign organizing fast food workers in coordination with organizations in many cities that have participated in a series of coordinated strikes and other workplace actions to win $15/hour and a Union as well as a voice on the job. This position will require a lot of initiative and the ability to work very independently to build power with fast food workers locally at CTUL while working with nationally coordinated actions to transform the fast food industry. Click here for more information.

6th Annual CTUL Pancake Brunch Fundraiser

March 12, 2017, 10:00am – 2:00pm

3715 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN

It’s almost time for CTUL’s 6th Annual Pancake Brunch Fundraiser! Now more than ever we need to stand with each other to build a power movement of the people. In this spirit, we will be launching the Raise Workers’ Voices Campaign at this year’s Brunch – a campaign aimed at our organizing to the next level, winning fair wages, fair working conditions, and a voice in the workplace with thousands of low-wage workers across the state. Join us to learn more and to become a part of the campaign.

Retail Janitors Strike against Trump and Poverty Wages

“We are trying to put a stop to the poverty wages…Donald Trump, he supports these low wages and he has said that he doesn’t think workers deserve better wages,” Luciano Balbuena,CTUL member and striking retail janitor, quoted in the New York Times this morning.

Hours before Donald Trump’s Inauguration as the 45th President of the United States, retail janitors organizing with CTUL who are contracted to clean more than a dozen Home Depot and other stores in the Twin Cities went out on strike against their cleaning contractor to protest their poverty wages and Donald Trump’s anti-worker agenda – the first strike against Donald Trump in the country since his election. The workers and supporters numbered hundreds as they picketed outside of the Home Depot at the Quarry in Northeast Minneapolis, chanting and holding a giant banner that says “On Strike Against Trump and Poverty Wages.”

January 20, 2017 – Inauguration Day – Now more than ever it is time to act…

On January 20, Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day, janitors who clean Home Depot stores in the Twin Cities will go on strike against their cleaning contractor to protest their poverty wages and Donald Trump’s anti-worker agenda – the first strike against Donald Trump in the country since his election.

The two founders of Home Depot have donated millions of dollars to Trump and one of Home Depot’s major investors supports Trump. Home Depot uses the Trump model of business for its janitorial services: using subcontractors that hire immigrant workers and sometimes face lawsuits for wage theft.

Janitors who clean Home Depot are paid poverty wages by their subcontractor and have been organizing for years to win fair wages and the right to form a union without retaliation. If Trump has his way, these worker’s wages will go even lower – as Trump told the country in November 2016, “wages are too high.”

FAST FOOD STRIKE: 5:30-7:00am

Over 300 people joined an early morning action with striking fast food workers at the McDonald’s on 24th and Nicollet in South Minneapolis, where 21 striking fast food workers and community allies were arrested in peaceful act of civil disobedience for $15 and union rights

“We are out here today on strike and risking arrest,” said Steven Suffridge, CTUL member and McDonald’s employee. “We have been organizing for a few years now and have won raises in cities all across America. Here in the Twin Cities we have won paid sick days and will continue to fight until we win $15 and a union. I am willing to be arrested today to let corporations and elected officials know that we are going to keep fighting until we win!” Photo by Patience Zalaga.

RETAIL JANITORS CAROLING IN EDEN PRAIRIE MALL: 8:00-9:00am

SOLIDARITY WITH AIRPORT WORKERS: 10:30 – 11:30am

Airport workers recently won union rights with SEIU Local 26. Here CTUL members stand with airport workers as well as newly elected MN State Representative Ilhan Omar stands to send a message that “love trumps hate.” Our communities are united and stronger than ever!

ACTION WITH FRANKLIN STREET BAKERY WORKERS: 12:00-1:00pm

CTUL stands in solidarity with Franklin Street Bakery workers demanding living wages and the right to unionize without retaliation. Their boss runs a hunger relief charity but pays his own workers so little they can’t afford nutritious food for their families.

ACTION WITH CONSTRUCTION WORKERS: 2:30pm

CTUL member Yobani speaks to fellow construction workers at a North Central States Regional Council of Carpenters action protesting payroll fraud and dangerous conditions at this nonunion job site. CTUL stands in solidarity with all workers who are fighting back against poverty wages and no voice on the job.

MASS MARCH AT UofM: 4:30-7:00pm

Over 1,000 student workers, educators and full-time university employees together with CTUL members and community allies marched from UofM to the Dinkytown McDonald’s calling for $15 and union rights in our jobs, in Minneapolis, and in all of Minnesota